Page 37 of Masquerading with the Duke
‘And now? The war is long over but Martina holds on to the hope that her brother might still be alive.’ Jared frowned. ‘Surely she’s being unrealistic?’
‘You don’t need to me tell you what it was like in Spain after the French retreated. They’d raped the country as well as half its citizens. Ferdinand’s restoration to the throne isn’t popular and he’s not proving to be a sympathetic monarch. There’s insurgency, widespread poverty, disloyalty and discontent. Raphael works for the Spanish equivalent of Clarence Vaughn, or he did when the war was over, but no one seems to know where he is. Trust me, I’ve tried to find him and Clarence assures me that he’s still looking.’
‘The Spanish–’
Lord Amos rolled his eyes. ‘Are as slippery as they are tight-lipped.’
‘If he was dead and they knew it, surely they would put his relatives’ minds at rest by saying as much?’
‘That’s why I have continued to cautiously hope on Ariana’s behalf. The girls did see him briefly as recently as a year before they left Spain, but he couldn’t tell them what he was involved in.’
‘You think they’ve sent him in somewhere to gain intelligence?’
‘The possibility crossed my mind.’ Lord Amos sighed. ‘I certainly hope so, but you don’t need me to tell you how delicate and prolonged these diplomatic sorties can be.’
‘Hardly.’ Jared paused. ‘But I still don’t see what harm it would do for the Spanish to simply confirm that he’s still alive.’
‘Perhaps they don’t know; not if he’s been sent somewhere remote where communications are difficult. He might have been asked to infiltrate an insurgent group and if so, he will be watched closely until his loyalty is assured.’ Lord Amos let out a slow sigh. ‘Anyway, Ariana doesn’t know I’m looking and I would prefer to keep it that way. I don’t want to raise any unnecessary expectations. They’ve been through enough.’
‘I understand.’
The duke stood, indicating that it was time to rejoin the ladies. Jared followed the rest of the gentlemen from the dining room, a little wiser about Martina’s circumstances but still at a loss to know what to do about his own problems. He fell into step with Lord Amos again as a sudden thought occurred to him.
‘I am glad that Martina got away from Redrow,’ he said quietly, ‘but I should warn you that the man can be tenacious when there’s someone he wants.’
Lord Amos abruptly stopped walking. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Precisely what I say. He would have looked upon Martina as a servant in his household and therefore fair game.’
‘I cannot abide men who take advantage of their authority over their servants,’ Lord Amos said, scowling viciously. ‘If she’d had nowhere else to go, she would have been obliged to submit to his advances or risk abandonment once more.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Anyway, she’s safe now. The Redrows are too aware of their acquaintance with this family to put it at risk, and Redrow can’t get to her here.’
Jared shook his head. ‘Perhaps the duke and duchess would be better advised to drop the connection. If Redrow is invited here and sees Martina…’
‘You surely cannot believe he would be so reckless?’
‘Never underestimate the man’s arrogance. I hope I am wrong but as I say, he has the morals of an alley cat and will be infuriated because Martina had the temerity to reject him.’ Jared threw up his hands. ‘He probably assumed that she would consider herself fortunate to be noticed by him.’
‘Blast! Frankie’s holding a masquerade in less than a week and the Redrows have accepted their invitation.’
‘And the guests will be masked.’ Jared ground his jaw. ‘Making it easier for liberties to be taken. I can’t imagine any of the other guests thinking in such a manner but cannot rule out the possibility of Redrow trying to take advantage, despite his determination to remain on cordial terms with your family. After the event, if challenged, he would simply say that Martina had been mistaken and that he had been with his wife the entire time. She’d back him up too, I suspect. Anyway, he would assume that Martina wouldn’t tell and risk destroying her own reputation.’
Lord Amos nodded. ‘You paint a terrifying picture.’
‘You will need to keep a close watch on Martina during the masquerade. Unless Redrow has undergone some sort of epiphany, he won’t be able to help taking revenge for his wounded pride, just mark my words.’
‘I dare say Frankie will invite you, so you can keep an eye on her yourself.’
‘Redrow and I are not on the best of terms, and if I turn out to be the orchestrator of his downfall I shall not lose any sleep over it.’
‘Come along, you two,’ the duke said cheerfully, glancing at them over his shoulder. ‘We have neglected the ladies for too long.’
Chapter Eleven
Martina paused in the doorway to the small salon opposite the drawing room into which she had gone to fetch the fan that she’d left there earlier. She paused when she heard Lord Amos and Mr Braden talking directly outside in muted tones. It wasn’t her intention to eavesdrop; not until she realised that they were talking about her. And then she didn’t hesitate to conceal herself behind the door, straining her ears to catch their words.
She was furious when she discovered that Mr Braden had told Lord Amos about Mr Redrow’s attempts to seduce her. She had related the particulars to him in confidence and thought that she could trust him to keep what he knew to himself. Now he was involving someone else, someone who had already inconvenienced himself on her behalf, in an attempt to protect her. Who the devil did he think he was, she silently fumed? She was absolutely not his responsibility.
A small part of her revelled in the knowledge that he cared enough to raise the subject with Lord Amos, misguided though his efforts were. She was well able to take care of herself. But unlike Redrow, Mr Braden’s intentions were honourable, she reminded herself. Very honourable. She had to believe that, even though nothing that had happened to her in her life to date had given her reason to have faith in any man’s intentions. But the intense manner in which Mr Braden had articulated his concerns for her welfare couldn’t have been faked, could it? And what purpose would it serve if they had been?
